Yes I Am. ...

Yes I am. Funny you should ask. Born and raised in San Jose, spent a year in L.A., lived in the Santa Cruz area for many years, then Pleasanton in the East Bay, and I've been up in the Sierra Foothills (between Sacramento and Reno, NV) for 7 years now and love it.

I'm a native So Cali girl. It is sad what has happened to my native land - houses and traffic all over the place. I used to ride my bike all over - I'd never dare do that now and wonder about parents who let their kids ride in the "bike lanes" along busy roads. "Bike lanes" what a joke!

I'm a native So Cali girl. It is sad what has happened to my native land - houses and traffic all over the place. I used to ride my bike all over - I'd never dare do that now and wonder about parents who let their kids ride in the "bike lanes" along busy roads. "Bike lanes" what a joke!

California has about the best frequency of good weather of anywhere in the world. At least several days out of each month are like spring or early summer. <br /><br />It has all the lovely things that Italy has, grapes, wine, coastline, beauty, great produce, cheese, and sea food, but with more organized freeways and better drivers. The housing, although not quaint, is generally more substantial and has more room per capita.<br /><br />California can rival Italy through the L.A. Symphony and Opera, and movie and music production. Heck, now they have David Beckham and his Spice Girl. Some of California's writers and artists have made it into the hearts of Italy but it has none to rival De Vinci and Angelo in fame!<br /><br />California does not have ancient grounds and history; but it does have a less severe summer, plus it has airconditoning. Italy seems to have air conditioning only in big well known tourist places.<br /><br />ANOTHER thing different about California as compared to Italy, Californians GENERALLY wear deodorant!!<br /><br />Never go to Italy in August, the worst month of the heat wave. If you do have to be their in August, try not to get onto any public conveyance or be closed into a small room; underarm scents do not mingle well, in my humble opinion.<br /><br />We were having lunch at an adorable place called OK Restraunt in Atlanta Georgia last weekend and it was 100 degree in our humd air. We enjoyed the food but could not manage most of it because the heat just drained our energy and appetites. Georgians are always fighting mold or bugs of some kind. The winter can be very cold and snow shows up now and then. <br /><br />Unlike California, the snow is rarely of any calibur inwhich sports can be regularily enjoyed. In California, snow on the mountains is nearly always available in season for skiing and snowmobiling. <br /><br />Although the buildings, grounds, and freeways are beautiful, I would stay in California over Georgia anytime, if I had a choice based on the best weather. <br /><br />R